7 March 2006, Hong Kong - Press Release
Business Environment Council hosts EnviroSeries Conference: Discovering Green and Heritage Tourism to promote the diversity of Hong Kong as a multi-day and “must visit” destination
The Business Environment Council (BEC) today staged the first 2006 EnviroSeries Conference -- Discovering Green and Heritage Tourism to promote the diversity of Hong Kong as a multi-day and "must visit" destination. Fifteen experts from Hong Kong and overseas used the event as a timely platform to present their views on the opportunities and challenges in planning, developing, marketing and coordinating Hong Kong's resources towards sustainable tourism.
Dr Andrew Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of BEC, noted, "Hong Kong is far more than just a shopping and dining paradise. Some 40 percent of the land area is designated as country parks. There are rugged hills and cliffs, spectacular coastline, mangrove-fringed wetlands, and old villages and temples. Whilst global tourism has been growing at a rate of 4%, nature-based tourism is increasing from 10 to 30% annually.
A survey by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) in 2002 found that 24% of visitors to Hong Kong were interested in 'green tourism'. Clearly this presents a tremendous opportunity for Hong Kong's tourism industry and economy as a whole in generating new jobs in new locations -- provided that those local communities, local environments and local heritages receive the respect and protection that is rightly theirs."
Participants at the conference included a diverse mix of delegates from community groups, travel and tour operators, hoteliers, government departments, industry groups, businesses and academics with an interest in the tourism industry. Keynote Speaker the Hon Howard Young, S.B.S., J.P., Legislative Councillor representing Tourism Functional Constituency addressed the topic "Sustainable Tourism -- Partnership is the Key" in the conference. "Tourism is one of Hong Kong's core industries, therefore we must play every effort to ensure its sustainability to generate long lasting economic benefit. When we talk about sustainable tourism, people might simply link it with eco-tourism only. We should view it more broadly to both market and environment sustainability, in particular when facing fierce competition from neighbouring countries. As for who will take the role to maintain the sustainability of our tourism, Government needs to bear the main responsibility but as tourism is a series of interrelated activities, the community and the trade also has a part to play in a coordinated effort."
Mr. Steve Noakes, Director International of the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre in Australia, shared some of the lessons and success stories from Queensland. "Australia, and its leading tourism State, Queensland, have some new and innovative destination branding and packaging strategies. From a conceptual platform of tourism as a system, there have been many lessons learnt by the industry in the development of tourism resources through destination management plan, effective brand strategies and implementing tourism certification programs anchored in the Agenda 21 sustainability principles."
"Every City has its own uniqueness. Its people, its historic genre and culture shapes the very identity of the place. The preservation of 'things', whether tangible or intangible that are illustrative of this uniqueness, is therefore a way to articulate this identity. In the same way, the conservation of Cultural Heritage is about protecting what is crucial to the city, 'things' that remind us of our roots and tells us who we are. It gives the city charisma, depth and character that naturally attracts." Ms. Angie Wong, Architect, Culture Heritage Department of Macao shared Macao experience on "Heritage, Identity and Branding".
The challenge for Hong Kong, remarked Dr. Thomson, would be to capitalise on its tourism potential whilst observing these principles.
Into its fifteenth year, BEC's EnviroSeries has become a cross-sector central platform for the key stakeholders from the government, business community and academia to discuss, debate and build capacity on environmental and sustainable development issues in Hong Kong.
About the Business Environment Council (www.bec.org.hk)
The Business Environment Council (BEC) is an independent, non-profit organization set up by business for business as an environmental solutions provider. BEC's services include consultancy, research, training and award programs for companies across all sectors and at any stage of their corporate sustainability journey. BEC is a membership organization based in Hong Kong with offices in Beijing and Shenzhen.
BEC's Council Members include CLP, China Resources Enterprise, Gammon Construction, Great Eagle Company, Hongkong Electric Company, HSBC, Hongkong International Terminals, Jardine Pacific, Kowloon-Canton Railway, KMB, PCCW, Shell, the Swire Group, Modern Terminals and Wheelock. BEC's broader membership extends to a network of more than 20,000 companies.
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